


Across the Universe

by MarvelousMenagerie (HiddenOne)



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, Gen, Infinity War spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-28
Updated: 2018-04-29
Packaged: 2019-04-28 20:55:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14457567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenOne/pseuds/MarvelousMenagerie
Summary: Missing scenes from Avengers: Infinity War.Spoilery summary & tags inside.





	1. Phonecall

**Author's Note:**

> Missing scene from A:IW | Steve hadn't been expecting that phone call, but he had expected it to be Tony on the other end.
> 
> Also written for MCU Stony bingo square: Infinity War

The phone rings.

Steve is startled and so he hesitates for a moment, but it’s only a moment. Two years he’s been waiting, and another second of delay is too much.

“Tony,” Steve greets, almost breathless, into the phone. 

Playing it cool isn’t even on his mind. He doesn’t even care if Tony mocks him for the hope in his voice, Steve will take any type of olive branch at this point, even if it’s simply a twig. He’s had Sam and Natasha and Wanda at his side, yes, and even T’challa, but Steve misses home. 

He misses Tony.

“Uh,” comes a voice down the line, and the breath freezes in Steve’s lungs because  _ that’s not Tony _ . “It’s Bruce, actually. Steve?”

“Bruce?” Steve repeats, shock in his voice. When had Bruce come back? Why did he have Tony’s phone?

“Hey, Cap. Look, it’s a long story, but we have a massive problem heading our way. Do you know where Vision is?” Bruce asks, rushed.

“He’s not with us,” Steve replies.

There’s static over the phone from Bruce’s sigh. “Tony said you could find him? There’s - he’s a target, they’re after the mind stone, and if Thanos gets it then he’ll be too powerful to stop.”

Tony said Steve could find him, which means Tony can’t. Since when was Vision avoiding Tony? Steve holds back a sigh of his own. 

“We’ll find him,” Steve promises, voice firm. “Where are you?” 

“Back in New York. It’s a… recent development,” Bruce admits. “Been awhile - is Stark Tower still in the same spot?” he tries to laugh.

“I think Tony sold the Tower,” Steve says, offering the news gently. He knows how those headlines had rocked Steve to the core when he’d seen it scrolling across the news. Why would Tony sell the Tower? The Tower… it had been Tony’s home.  “But there’s still the Avengers Compound upstate.”

“Got an address?”

“Can’t Tony…?”

Bruce sighs. “He off chasing after this guy who got kidnapped by one of Thanos’ lackeys. It’s another stone. Like I said - long story. Uh, I’ll meet you there?”

“Yes,” Steve agrees readily. “I’ll pick up Vision and meet you at the Compound.”

Steve tells Bruce directions on how to get to the Compound, just on the odd chance that the taxi driver won’t know the route. Then Steve hangs up the phone and strides out of the room, the ticking clock of battle already starting.

“Steve, you need to see this,” Sam calls out from down the hallway.

Sam is watching the news. A spaceship, not ones like the Chitauri, but circular, over New York City. Then there’s shaky clips of Tony in his armor and SpiderMan, and is that Bruce? Why didn’t he Hulk out? The spaceship leaves the city, rising up over the sky. There’s a spec that might be Tony chasing after it, small in the zoomed out view.

“Where’s Wanda?” Steve asks, not looking away when the news bite starts over.

“She hasn’t checked in recently,” Natasha admits. 

“Find her. We have to find Vision, and she’s our best chance. Suit up and get to the jet,” Steve orders.

Sam and Natasha will have questions, but they rush to grab what they need. It won’t take long - these days they’re always packed, ready to run at a moment’s notice. 

Steve grabs his pack and heads for the Quinjet. Tony needs their help, but Tony didn’t call. Because Tony didn’t have time to call? Or because Tony doesn’t want Steve’s help? 

_ Tony said you could find Vision _ .

Steve will find Vision. Then Steve will be back at the Compound and maybe, just maybe, Steve will get to talk to Tony. 

Two years. Too long. 

But Tony had kept the phone and had it around for someone to use. That has to count for something, right?

_ Tony said you could find Vision _ , and so that’s what Steve is going to do. 


	2. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Missing Scene | Steve arrives home, and Tony isn't there. But Tony left a gift for Steve all the same.
> 
> Warnings for a depressed Steve & some callbacks to CACW but no bashing.

Steve leads the group down the ramp of the Quinjet. He barely takes in the changes since the last time he’s seen the Compound, since the last time he’s seen his home, as he almost races through the building.

Tony is missing. Tony didn’t return home. Steve has found Vision like Tony asked, but now Tony isn’t going to be here to talk.  

It’s not the olive branch Steve wanted. It’s not the welcome home he imagined.

Still, Steve is home. There’s enough left of what he remembers that it still feels like home. Tony has made changes, upgrades, like he constantly does, but enough of the layout and architecture and even the decor remains for Steve’s heart to twinge. The rooms that they pass are cleaner than they had been with the previous team - but that’s more likely a sign of Tony moving in than the lack of others. Steve hopes there has been others anyway. 

(Tony not being able to find Vision makes Steve uncomfortable, that this image he had of Tony in the Compound, leading the Avengers, might not be true. But Tony didn’t call, so Tony didn’t need Steve, right?) 

Steve follows FRIDAY’s directions to where Rhodey is waiting, the rest trailing behind him.

“He’s just finishing up with the UN Committee, so if you want to wait out in the wings a bit…” FRIDAY suggests.

“Is Ross present?” Steve asks, still striding forward.

“Yeah, he is. You’re still on his wanted list so -”

Steve ignores FRIDAY’s advice. He has things he’s waited a long time to say to Ross.

“Steve,” Natasha warns, because she can read his thoughts on his face. 

Steve swallows the things he’d like to say - about how Ross handled the Accords to begin with, about all the decisions and the press that then followed. About how Ross used and handled Tony, in the aftermath, and the other Avengers. Steve wants to ask Ross how it is, making these decisions, and do the wrong ones keep Ross up at night? Because they should. Ross should be sleepless with anxiety, making these calls, second guessing himself, since Ross put himself as Chairman of the UN Committee that controls the Avengers. 

Steve tries not to think of Tony is getting those sleepless nights instead.

Tony is missing, that’s the important fact. Steve cuts through Ross’ bullshit immediately to remind Ross. Tony is missing.  _ Earth’s best defender _ is missing. 

Steve is going to find him.

But when Ross is gone, Rhodey welcomes them back (and thank God for Tony, who can fix the mistakes that happened with that stupid fight at the airport), and Bruce appears… Steve can’t go after Tony.

They can’t leave Earth undefended. They must get Vision to Shuri in Wakanda. The mind stone must be destroyed.

Steve will not let Tony return -  _ because Tony will return _ \- to a destroyed Earth. The rest of the Avengers will handle this new (old) threat until Tony can return. 

Tony prepared for this, after all. Rhodey shows Sam upgraded Falcon gear. Tony had put it together, because Tony knew it would be needed. Natasha gets a full array of all her old tricks. Steve…

Steve is shown to the workshop. DUM-E stands in front of a cabinet for a while, staring down Rhodey, before finally the bot beeps and rolls to the side. Rhodey opens one of the drawers with his fingerprint. 

“He would’ve given you some shit, but I know he would want you to have it,” is all Rhodey says.

The drawer slides out, displaying the shield. The claw marks have been buffed out, the paint job redone. There are no scratches or nicks from that fight in that Siberian bunker. The shield gleams in the light, and Steve is thrown back in memory. 

_ You don’t deserve that shield. My father made that shield! _

In the end, dropping the shield had been the easiest thing Steve had ever done. He didn’t feel like Captain America then, hadn’t for awhile. He doesn’t feel like Captain America now, even though he’s about to go out and defend the world. Maybe if Tony was here with him, offering some form of forgiveness and asking him to take the shield, Steve would be tempted.

But Steve doesn’t want it, not really. He will defend the world because it is the right thing to do, and he will do it as Steve Rogers. He can’t take up the mantle of Captain America, not again.

He doesn’t have the strength to do it, super soldier or not. Maybe in the future, but now…

Steve pushes the drawer closed, the shield still inside.


End file.
